Best Shakespeare Quotes

All of the following quotes are from Shakespeare’s plays. Some wise, some comical; they are all marked with genius. Many of Shakespeare’s quotes have remained with us today and are commonly used sayings. People often underestimate what this great writer gave us. This list of best Shakespeare quotes tries to give you a taste of some of the Bards wonderful way with words. For more information on Shakespeare click here.

Feel free to let us know your favourite quotes.

Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.

Romeo and Juliet

Here comes lean Jack, here comes bare-bone.
How now, my sweet creature of bombast!
How long is’t ago, Jack, since thou sawest thine own knee?

Henry  IV (Part I)

And pity, like a naked newborn babe
Striding the blast, or heaven’s cherubim, horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind.

Macbeth

Our doubts are traitors,
And make us lose the good we oft might win,
By fearing to attempt.

Measure for Measure

My tongue will tell the anger of my heart

The Taming of the Shrew

This above all: to thine own self be true,
and it must follow, as the night the day,
thou canst not then be false to any man.

Hamlet

Better a witty fool than a foolish wit

Twelfth Night

If I prove honey-mouth’d, let my tongue blister

The Winter’s Tale

…upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, till famine cling thee.

Macbeth

The course of love never did run smooth

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Conscience does makes cowards of us all

Hamlet

Have more than thou showest,
Speak less than thou knowest,
Lend less than thou owest.

King Lear

The world’s mine oyster

The Merry Wives of Windsor

Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and
some have greatness thrust upon ‘em.”

Twelfth Night

Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard.
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.

Julius Caesar